The historic franchise “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” has come to an end after nine consecutive seasons as the No. 1 show in late-night television. The final episode will air in May 2026. In a dramatic return to TV, Colbert thanked his supporters and expressed his relief at being able to speak unvarnished truth to power.
Colbert expressed shock that the network cited financial reasons for canceling the show, despite its successful ratings history. He pointed out that CBS followed up its initial statement with an anonymous leak revealing the show’s financial struggles. “How could it purely be a financial decision if ‘The Late Show’ is number one in ratings?” Colbert asked.
Colbert then joked about the network’s motives, comparing the show to Red Lobster’s bankruptcy. He also thanked his musical guests, including Weird Al Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who joined him in poking fun at the timing of the show’s cancellation amidst a pending $8 billion merger between CBS and Skydance Media.
However, not everyone was optimistic about the network’s decision. Sandra Oh expressed her outrage over the show’s cancellation during an interview with Colbert. She emphasized the importance of free speech and criticized those who may have contributed to the network’s fear-driven decision.
John Oliver also weighed in on the controversy during his own show. He questioned whether CBS had to end the iconic franchise as part of a larger strategy to avoid scrutiny from President Donald Trump, who has been vocal about his criticism of Colbert and the show.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/07/22/cbs-stephen-colbert-late-show-canceled-reactions